Cordyceps

There is a recent but fast growing

recognition in the West that mushrooms

represent an important source of

biologically active compounds with the

potential to improve

biological functions that allow people to

live fitter, healthier and longer lives.

Asian traditional medicine has long

recognized the pharmaceutical value of

mushrooms as antioxidant, antidiabetic,

immunomodulatory, antitumor, anti-

cancer, anti-allergic and anti-microbial

agents. Western research has, only in

recent decades, begun to focus attention

on the pharmaceutical potential of

mushrooms with results that strongly

validate traditional wisdom and indicate the value of further research to investigate their

amazing properties.

In 1999, worldwide sales of mushroom neutraceuticals had reached US$6 billion with

Asia and Europe accounting for 99% and with N. America contributing less than 0.1% of

the overall total. Since then, demand in N. America for medicinal mushrooms and

derived products have increased between 20-40% annually with total sales for 2013

estimated at

The “buzz” in the market about this amazing mushroom is deafening, and along with its

popularity comes a plethora of low quality products that range from useless to downright

dangerous. With natural Cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) in very limited supply

“Cordyceps” are now being produced in China by injecting flour paste and gelatin inside

a living larvae, then coating the larvae with mud and letting them dry. They may not be

safe to consume. We have found products claiming to be cordyceps that are nothing more

than four laced with fake Viagra. In any case, there are so many varieties and qualities on

the market that purchasing high quality cordycpes can be challenging.

The Cordyceps Story:

In the remote mountain villages in Nepal and Tibet the villagers took their animals into

the high mountain pastures for springtime grazing. The villagers observed their goats and

yaks grazing lazily in the fields. They observed their livestock grazing on small brown

grass-like plants and shortly thereafter the livestock were jumping about, having sex and

full of energy. The villagers were curious to see what the yaks had been eating, and after

some time they discovered that they were eating what we now know as Cordyceps. The

villagers began to collect and eat the caterpillar fungus with similar effects, as the story

goes.

In fact, the caterpillar fungus had been used for centuries among rural villagers on the

Tibetan plateau to boost the physical endurance of their yaks and donkeys in transporting

goods across the mountains.

Cordyceps has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Due to its rarity it was

very expensive and therefore its use was limited to the Royal Court and Chinese Nobility.

Written records begin during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) describing Cordyceps as a

miraculous transformation from animal to plant. Tibetan scholars wrote of this mythical

healing animal/plant through the fifteenth to eighteenth century and the earliest

scientifically reliable description of Cordyceps is contained in the “New Compilation of

Materia Medica” by Wu-Yiluo in 1757. Cordyceps was held in high esteem in the Chinese

Medical tradition. Since 1964, Cordyceps has been officially classified as a drug in the

Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

With the exception of a few obscure references Cordyceps emerged from relative obscurity

in the West in 1993, when it became known that Chinese women athletes had broken nine

world records in track and field events at the National Games held in Beijing. The records

were broken by startling margins. After passing tests for anabolic steroids, the Chinese

coach told reporters that had his athletes were taking Cordyceps as part of his training

regime. The public perception of this caterpillar fungus became acute and today it is one

of the most sought-after mushrooms in the world.

What are Cordyceps?

This parasitic fungus invades the moth caterpillar in its cocoon (larvae) stage during

winter, devours the caterpillar from within and then, in spring, emerges from the

caterpillars head as a stalk-like orange mushroom. Technically, Cordyceps is a fungus

and not a mushroom, but since it has been referred to as a medicinal mushroom

throughout history we will take the license to refer to is as such.

Cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) are found in nature in remote parts of the

Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau. The supply is severely limited and Cordyceps sinensis

has been officially classified as an endangered species by CITES Management Authority

of China. The cost is prohibitive. The unsafe imitations are not a good option.

There is a close relative, Cordyceps militaris, that can be cultivated in laboratories on

grains instead of inside moths’ larvae. It is rich in pharmacologically active substances

and, with scientific research and development efforts, it is now claimed that Cordyceps

militaris (known in Thailand as “tang chow”) has similar chemical capacities and is just

as beneficial.

Cultivation Methods:

There are two basic cultivation methods for Cordyceps. The method primarily used in

China and the majority of Cordyceps sold on the world market is cultivated by Liquid

Culture Fermentation. A small quantity of Cordyceps tissue is inoculated into a sterilized

liquid medium where it grows rapidly taking about five days until harvest. The Cordyceps

mycelium is filtered out from the liquid broth and then dried and ground to a fine powder.

This method is economical for large scale production however there is a major drawback

in terms of quality.

Fungi feed by getting alongside their food source and they then exude transport molecules

out through the cell walls to digest their food and carry the nutrients back into the cell.

During this process the Cordyceps is exuding antimicrobial compounds to keep other

organisms from competing for the food and still other compounds which adjust the pH

and digest the food. Approximately 90% of the bioactive compounds produced by the

Cordyceps are in the liquid that is discarded after the mycelium is harvested in the Liquid

Culture Fermentation method.

The method of Cordyceps cultivation used by Thai Freeze Dry is the solid-substrate or

biomass method. Cordyceps is inoculated onto a solid nutrient source where it grows

much more slowly. When the mycelium consumes most or all of the substrate it is ready

for harvest and the entire contents of the growing container is harvested and dried which

includes the mycelium, the residual substrate and all of the extra-cellular compounds

produced throughout the growth process. This takes approximately 45 days. All the

compounds are captured. The synergy of all ingredients is delivered in a stable and highly

bioavailable form by use of Thai Freeze Dry’s Dynamic Freeze Dry Process described

below.

Clearly the biomass cultivation method takes much longer, is significantly more

expensive, and provides a higher quality product. Here is where your laboratory test

results may not tell the entire story. While the tests indicate the levels of targeted active

ingredients, the efficacy of these pharmacologically active ingredients is also dependent

on the wide spectrum of extra cellular compounds which are not reflected in the lab tests

but which act in synergy with all other ingredients to produce the effect nature has

designed. The buyer should know the cultivation method used, the production protocol,

and the lab test results to insure quality product.

Under controlled laboratory conditions we can maintain the perfect environmental

conditions:

• temperature

• light frequencies

• humidity

• air flow

• sanitary conditions

Each of these tightly controlled environmental conditions requires correct insulation

(construction), and highly accurate equipment so as to stay, at all times, within critical

limits.

In addition to environmental factors, other biological aspects of the fungus require

detailed technical knowledge:

• host range

• mating system

• cytology and fungal genetics

• inoculation of the medium

• nutritional requirements of the substrate

These must be added add to a long list of successful cultivation practices each of which

requires detailed explanation. Conditions affecting the formation of somata (fruiting

bodies) have been extensively studied and mutations with superior traits have been

obtained. This results in cordyceptin, adennisine and polysaccharide levels in cultivated

fruiting bodies of C. militaris which are consistently observed at higher levels than in

naturally occurring O. sinensis fruiting bodies.

Alternative organic substrates have been developed for production of C. militaris

stromata that are much less prone to microbial contamination than insects. Thai Freeze

Dry uses a proprietary formula for the substrate that provides a highly nutritious growing

medium.

The genome of C. militaris has recently been sequenced and no orthologs of known

human cytotoxins have been detected which is consistent with its safe consumption by

humans. They have been approved by F.D.A. as a functional food, which is basically a

food with medicinal properties and cultivation in Thailand has become a successful and

fast- growing industry.

The establishment and strict adherence to production protocols and critical testing

procedures under GAP, GMP and HACCP are used to guarantee consistent quality and

safety. Appropriate monitoring and control is essential to maintain customer satisfaction

and confidence, and meet the highest regulatory standards.

The Harvest:

The Cordyceps harvest will inevitably be a combination of fruiting bodies (somata) with

the highest concentration of active ingredients combined with growing medium

(substrate) which contains a much lower concentration of active ingredients. At this

critical point in the process there is a wide range of “managerial discretion” that will

dramatically affect the quality and effectiveness of the product.

Every step in the complex process is critical to the quality up to this point, but it is as this

point that the rubber hits the road. It is at this point that the manufacture must determine

if they will go for quantity or quality. It is for this reason that consumers should rely on

established reputable companies who back up their commitment to safety, quality and

effectiveness by applying standards that are verified by independent laboratory analysis.

The standard used by Thai Freeze Dry requires that we continue to grow the fruiting

bodies until such time as there is no more than 5% residual substrate and at least 95%

Cordyceps material. We do not compete in quality or price with Cordyceps produced by

fermentation nor do we compete with lower quality product that has been harvested

before its optimum potency. We back these claims with standardized analysis and

encourage our customers do the same as part of their Quality Assurance program. The

end user will feel the difference.

Cellular Fraction-Line Technology

The function and value of our foods is not necessarily defined by their lab test results but

lies in the energetic breakdown and uptake of the product that occurs inside your body.

The method by which your food is processed has a huge impact on its efficacy and it is

here that Thai Freeze Dry’s products are differentiated from all others on the market.

Even if you’ve done an excellent job of producing Coryceps powder up to this point, it at

this point that our quality will exceed all others.

Cellular Fraction-Line Technology (CFL) is a key component in the creation of our

functional foods and nutraceuticals. It allows us to preserve a whole food in its fresh

form, thus maintaining all of the medicinal activity of a live plant while providing the

safety of a stable commodity.

This propriety and transitional preservation process gives Thai Freeze Dry the unique

ability to provide superior product. The Cordyceps is dried while it remains frozen in a

vacuum. Rather than sitting motionless on trays (as in the conventional tray freeze

drier) the product is flying around in a vortex. The deeply flash-frozen granules decrease

in size due to sublimation of the connecting ice structure and break into increasingly

smaller particles along natural elemental fracture lines.

This creates a small particle size and a porous particle structure without the cellular

hemorrhaging or exposure to heat caused by mechanical grinding. These particles

aremuch more easily absorbed and metabolized (more bio-available) and are more

soluble for use as an ingredient in formulations.

CFL is unique in that the plant tissue fractures between/along the layers of the cell walls

preserving cellular integrity and improving the retention of the bioactive

intracellular contents. In addition to higher bioactivity this process results in

particles having a more bio-available particle structure. Higher bioactivity combined

with higher bio-availability make all of our CFL bio-activate botanicals

significantly more effective. This is particularly important in the case of cordyceps

that has a complex cellular and molecular structure as it grows naturally.

The chemical analysis and measurement of specific targeted compounds is a valid

analytical tool, but does not fully explain the body’s adaptive systems. Cellular Fraction-

Line Technology (CFL) takes you beyond the chemistry per se. CFL involves a holistic

approach that includes subtle mechanisms of nature operating with intelligence through

patterns of association and encoded information.

The healing message is not carried by one or several ingredients alone. It is most

effectively delivered when we sustain the synergy of the complex cellular, extracellular,

and molecular structure of our super herbs as they grow in nature.

The quality and effectiveness of our Cordyceps Powder is the result of remarkable

protocols and processes we employ from the fields to the finish products.

!

Standardized extracts:

Without going into the long and detailed debate regarding the efficacy of single extracts

we take the “Whole Fungus” approach and provide our product as dynamic freeze dried

powder. The chemicals used in the extraction process may denature the enzymes and

otherwise damage certain of the ingredients. That aside, when you extract only targeted

ingredients you will inevitably end up with a higher concentration of the targeted

compound, but this may not work as well due to having eliminated other of the

ingredients that act in synergy with the targeted ingredient. The end result may be a

standardized high concentration of mediocre material. The complexity of the product as

it has been designed by nature and the synergy of its many ingredients may be lost in the

extraction process.

That being said, if one were to determine that a standardized extract better meets their

needs, the best results would come from making the extraction from Thai Freeze Dry’s

Cellular Fraction-Line activated powder.

Health benefits

Energy Management:

Energy is the source of your physical and mental power as well as all repair processes.

When we restore, optimize and protect the energy producing systems of the human body

we have made an investment in our most precious asset.

Cordyceps militaris is perhaps most well known as a rejuvenator. It increases your

energy level, relieves fatigue, and speeds recovery. This makes Cordyceps an attractive

supplement for athletes seeking to maximize performance and for the elderly but it

equally applies to people of all ages and walks of life as we face today’s fast paced modern

stressful lifestyle.

(1)Research has shown that Cordyceps increases oxygen utilization and (2) increases

cellular ATP levels. Energy at the cellular level is released as ATP (adenosine

triphosphate) loses a phosphate in the process of converting to ADP (adensine

diphosphate). The breaking of that phosphate bond releases energy that becomes

available for use by our cells. This is a real increase in usable energy which contrasts from

the illusion of energy increases from the use of stimulants (caffeine, sugar, amphetamines

etc) which result in an energy spike inevitably followed by a crash (energy deficiency) due

to the fact that no real extra energy has been made available.

The double effect of increased ATP and better oxygen utilization from the use of

Cordyceps provides more fuel to burn and more oxygen to burn it with.

Along with this added energy comes added vigor and this may be the source of the

common claims that cordyceps increases sexual intent and performance. (recall the Yaks

as the story goes).

There is a huge interest by people curious about the mushroom’s sex-boosting properties.

Whenever you have a product that has strong health benefits, every part of your body will

benefit.

Immune system support:

Cordyceps militaris contains polysacharrides which help to activate and stimulate the

immune system. Your body does not recognize the markers of these compounds and jerks

your immune system to attention in their presence. In addition to this welldocumented

effect of polysacharrides such as Beta gluten in stimulating the immune response, there

are other mechanisms at work at the cellular level.

1. Jia-Shi Zhu, M.D., Ph.D, and James Rippe, M.D. (2004) Presented at the

American Physiological Socienty’s (APS) annual scientific conference,

Experimental Biology 2003, held April 17021, 2004 in Washington D.C.

2. Guowei Dai, Tiantong Bao, Changfu Xu, Raymond Dooper and Jia Xi Zhu, Cordy

Max ™ Cs-3 Improes Steady-State Bioenergy Status in Mouse Liver. The Journal

of Alternative and Complimentay Medicine Vol.7, Number 3, 2001, pp. 231-230

The bi-directional regulation of immune function is known as immunomodulation. (3)

When Cordyceps is taken by a patient in an immune-deficient state (cancer, HIV) white

blood cells increase in quantity and activity. When the same Cordyceps is given to

someone in a hyper-immune condition (Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis) the quantity and

activity of white blood cells decrease while red blood cells increase. This bi-directional

effect is typical of adaptogens and is not experienced in allopathic medicine. The

adaptogenic mechanism lies in the differentiation phase of blood cell production in the

bone marrow, where immature cells are directed to mature. Signals from the body affect

an appropriate response to attain homeostasis.

Anti-cancer benefits:

Aside from the known immune modulation triggered by polysaccharide compounds and

immunomodulation described above there is another antitumor mechanism inherent in

the structure of cordyceps. (4) Cordyceptin is indistinguishable from normal adenosine

with the exception that it lacks an oxygen atom in a particular position where an oxygen

atom is required to create a bond that effectively forms the ladder structure that holds

DNA together. DNA replication cannot occur in the absence of this oxygen atom and no

new cell could be formed except for the fact that in a normal cell there is an inherent DNA

repair mechanism. In this repair process cordyceptin is removed and a new segment of

adenosine will be inserted.

(5)Cancer cells, however have lost this DNA repair mechanism. If DNA errors could be

corrected the cell would not have evolved into a cancer cell. So while cancer cells are

replicating at a rate that far exceeds the surrounding healthy tissue, cordyceptin will

interfere with the replication of the cancer cells while they do not interfere with the

replication of healthy cells.

This is the mechanism by which pharmacologically active compounds in Cordyceps

militaris lead to apoptotic cell death eventually inhibiting growth and unchecked

proliferation of cancer cells. The combination of anti-cancer drugs working in synergy

with cordyeps as an adjunctive therapy show strong potential for treatment most

especially in drug-resistant cancers.

The pragmatic approach to treatment in Asia is based on a long history of Cordyceps use

and research. It is common practice in Asia to add traditional herbal remedies that

demonstrate potential to the treatment regime. Results are then compared with the same

conventional treatment without the adjunctive therapy.

(3)“On the Trail of the Yak/Ancient Cordyceps in the Modern World” J. Holliday, M.

Cleaver, June 2004, pg. 26

(4) Cordyceps Mushrrom: A Potent Anticancer Nutraceutical Md. A Khan, M. Tania,

D. Zhang and Han-chun Chen, Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological

Science and Technology, Central South University, Changshu, Hunan 410013

(5) Recent developments in mushrooms as anti-cancer therapeutics: a review Neeema

Patel , Arun Goyal Department of Biotechnology, Lovely Professional University,

Jalandhar, India and Department of Biotechology, Indian Institute of Technology,

Guwahati, India

Please keep in mind that 2/3 of the worlds’ population today are treated with natural

medicine. Even where the most advanced conventional medical treatments are available,

there is, in Asia a more eclectic approach involving the use of traditional practices as

adjunctive therapies. The knowledge of Cordyceps’ efficacy is so well established in Asia

that many patients are taking Cordyceps as immune modulators while undergoing

conventional treatments.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are known to damage the patient’s immune system.

Opportunistic infections during chemotherapy are known to take their toll. The hope is

that the chemo will kill the tumor cells before killing the healthy cells. The immune

system is left deficient. If we can, through the use of Cordyceps, strengthen the immune

system then the dosage and frequency of chemotherapy can be increased. The

effectiveness of the conventional treatment can be enhanced, the damage can be

decreased and recovery can be accelerated.

Anti-viral effects:

Many bacteria and all viruses (HIV included) also lack this DNA repair mechanism

referred to above and this may help to explain the anti-viral effects of cordyceps.

Kidney Health:

Kidney health seems to be a cornerstone of the body’s overall health. When kidneys fail

the effects are felt in many other organs and systems. In this sense, the positive effects of

Cordyceps on the kidneys supports overall health and homeostasis.

Fatigue, impotence, anemia, hypertension, joint and back pains are all symptoms of poor

kidney health. Chronic renal failure tends to affect the elderly as our natural healing

capabilities decrease with age.

(6) Cordyceps is a traditional Chinese and Tibetan herb used as a kidney tonic and is now

being widely used in the U.S.A. for CKD patients to reduce anemia, lower blood pressure

and improve kidney function with no adverse effects. Thai physicians focusing on the

pharmacological properties of “thang chao” suggest its use to treat critical stage kidney

disease. Cordyceps has been used to help act as angiotension converting enzymes (ACE)

inhibitors. They promote dilation of blood vessels, lower blood pressure and help

preserve renal functions. Cordyceps has been extensively studied as an adjunctive

therapy in patients undergoing renal transplants and cordyceps used in combination with

conventional medications has been found to provide more effective results than either

agent alone.

Human tests indicate that after one month of using Cordyceps at 15% reduction in blood

pressure can be observed, urinary protein is reduced, and increases in superoxide

dismutase (SOD) were found.

(6) Botanical Medicines Used for Kidney Disease in the United States, Eric Yarnell

Bastry Univ, Kenmore WA. Published in Iranian Journal of Kidney Diseases/ Vol. 6/

Number 6, Nov. 2012

Diabetes:

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing health concerns worldwide with over 350 million

diabetics 90% of which are Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes caused by cellular resistance to

insulin. The culprit lies in excessive consumption of sugar and highly refined

carbohydrates (white rice in Asia and white flour in the West). Diabetes may cause

blindness, kidney disease, and increases the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, higher

levels of blood cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

Cordyceps demonstrates the ability to (7) regulate blood sugar, (8) improve blood glucose

metabolism, and increase insulin sensitivity. Increases in the livers’ glucose synthesis

and regulation of enzymes with increased sensitivity to insulin is influenced by the use of

Cordyceps.

A related issue is alcoholism which is linked to blood sugar metabolism. Alcohol can

become addictive because of how fast and easily it breaks down. Like sugar and high

energy starch foods alcohol is in a highly refined state and provides a boost of externally

stimulated energy that will later result in burnout. The craving for refined foods is a

biological imperative when the body is not able to produce adequate levels of energy.

Cordyceps has been found to be exceptionally effective at reducing alcohol craving.

Sexual Potentiator:

One of the most frequently described “side effects” described by those who use Cordyceps

is its aphrodisiac and sexual potentiator qualities for both men and women.

Cordyceps was used for thousands of years by Asian physicians to improve physical

(including sexual) stamina and performance. This was recorded in “The Classic Herbal

of the Divine Plowman” (written around 200 AD). Since the huge impact of Viagra,

herbalists have been looking for natural alternatives and Cordyceps is high on the list.

(9) A Chinese study released more than ten years before the introduction of Viagra

reported a 64.8% improvement in erectile dysfunction from daily consumption of three

grams of Cordyceps sinensis daily.

There are several factors contributing to Cordyceps effect as sexual potentiator.

• The most obvious is its ability to improve physical vitality and stamina in general.

This has been described and referenced above.

(7) Kiho, T., Tabata, H. Ukai, S. and Hara, C. (1986) A minor protein-containing

falactomannan from a sodium carbonate extract of Cordyceps sinensis.

Carbohydrate Research 156: 189-197

(8) Zhao CS., Wang JY., Zhang Y.,Yu H., Cooper R., Smidt C., Zhu JS. (2002) Cordyceps

Cs-4 improves glucose metabolism and increases insulin sensitivity in normal rats.

J. Altern Complement Med. 2002 Aug: 8(4): 403

(9) Holiday, J., Cleaver, M., On The Trail of The Yak/ Ancient Cordyceps in the Modern

World, June 2004 p. 37

• (10) Cordyceps helps to dilate blood vessels which increases blood flow – a

significant factor in erectile function.

• (11) Studies have shown that Cordyceps significantly increases production of

testosterone in males. Cordyceps inhibits production of the enzyme 5-alpha

reductase thereby reducing the conversion of testosterone to gihydrotestosterones

DHT. By this mechanism Cordyceps increases sexual desire for both men and

women

• (12) Studies show that Cordyceps is useful in increasing sperm production as well

as regulating abnormal menstruation and sexual dysfunction including impotence.

Increased kidney function (discussed above) helps to protect against water

retention and also regulates growth hormone production leading to increased

sperm in men and egg extruding in women.

ADEQUATE DOSAGE: A major issue is that of establishing adequate dosage. We have

determined that a dosage for a healthy adult is 400 mg. per day. Our capsules will contain

a full daily dose and we will not sell bulk powder to any company to use as an ingredient

if they do not contractually agree to provide 400 mg. per daily dose. Coffee and other

products with minute quantities of Cordyceps are delivering the sizzle but not the steak.

You’re getting the “hype” but not the beneficial effects. Cordyceps is part of these

formulations only to be able make “label claims” for marketing purposes. This is not a

highly concentrated chemical, it is a natural product and unless you ingest an adequate

quantity you will not get an adequate result.

(10) Christopher Hobbs, Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, Healing &

Culture, Botanical Press, Summertown, Tennessee, p.25

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(11) Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running, Ten Speed Press 2005, p. 41

(12) Christopher Hobbs, Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, Healing, &

Culture, Botanica Press, Summertown, Tennessee, p. 85.